


You Make it Better

by magequisition



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Comfort, Cuddling, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Nightmares, Schmoop, Teasing, darkspawn dreams, implied post-fic sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-14 18:04:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4574463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magequisition/pseuds/magequisition
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ella Cousland awakes in a panic from a darkspawn-induced nightmare. She forgets she's not alone in her tent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Make it Better

                She woke up suddenly, heart pounding so hard she feared it would burst through her chest. This time was different, though. She tried to sit up and felt strong arms wrap tighter around her waist.

                “S’not morning. Too dark. Stay put,” she heard from behind her, lips brushing her back.

                Alistair. In the throes of nightmare induced-panic, she’d forgotten he was there. Forgotten, somehow, the night before. She placed her hand over his and squeezed gently, and he nuzzled his face into her neck.

                “Are you all right, my love?” he asked her softly, startling her out of her reverie. She wiggled slightly in his arms until she could turn to face him, pressing her forehead into his chest. “Nightmares again?”

                She nodded. “I thought they’d ease up by now. It’s been weeks.”

                “It takes more than that, unfortunately. And with…things…getting more intense, it’ll probably take longer for them to be controllable,” Alistair said, kissing the top of her head and scrunching his nose when a few strands of her long red hair tickled him. “I’ve even noticed mine getting worse again. Not so bad, I’m all right, but it’s no wonder if yours are troubling you. I do wish I could fix it, though,” he said. Regret tinged his voice. “I’m glad you’re here with me…obviously,” he said, and she laughed. “But I don’t like knowing how you suffer from it.”

                Ella took a deep breath and looked up at Alistair. “I’m tough,” she said. “You know me. No nightmares will keep me down. Besides, you do make it better, Alistair.” She wrapped one arm around his waist. “I’m already feeling better. It used to take hours.”

                Alistair worried his lower lip between his teeth. “Are you sure?”

                Ella smiled and took a deep breath before taking one of Alistair’s hands in her own and pressing it to her chest. Alistair lifted an eyebrow and she made a face at him. “No, not again,” she giggled. “My heart. It’s already almost back to normal.” She let go of his hand and cupped his cheek. “You did that.”

                Alistair stared at her for a moment before kissing her softly. Ella stroked her hand over his cheek and hair before pressing her forehead to his. “Honestly, Alistair. When mother and father – I couldn’t have known. And then I went with Duncan, and I didn’t know what to expect, just that I needed to fight. It was the only thing on my mind, and it terrified me. And then suddenly there was this terribly handsome warrior sassing a mage and – “

                “Hmm, handsome you say? Who is he? I’ll have to get rid of the competition.” Alistair winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

                “You know, I am actually trying to be serious for once,” Ella grumbled.

                Alistair’s face softened. “I know. I’m sorry for joking.”

                “You wouldn’t be you without it,” Ella said. She kissed him before continuing. “I was getting long winded anyway. What I mean to say is – out of all this tragedy, somehow I found you. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But I love you. And with you here…none of it matters. The nightmares don’t matter. The archdemon…well, okay, the archdemon matters. But I’m not worried. Because you? And me? We can do anything.” Her words came out all in a rush, and she felt her face flush with embarrassment. She must have been more affected by the nightmare than she thought – she usually avoided emotional outbursts like this at all costs. When she met Alistair’s eyes again, she thought she saw them shimmer slightly, as though tears were pricking at them. She heard him swallow hard before he spoke again.

                “You are,” he said, kissing her roughly, “without a doubt, the most incredible woman I have ever met.”

                “You can’t have met that many, then,” Ella said. “But you know something?”

                “What’s that?” Alistair asked.

                “I think I’m rethinking that whole ‘not again’ thing I said earlier.” A wicked grin crossed her face while she watched Alistair process her words.       

                “Well, I mean, if the lady insists…” Alistair said, sliding his hands along her torso and up her arms to pin them above her head before rolling over to kneel above her. “Who am I to refuse?”


End file.
